1. Try this test; on circles, don't ride too much with your inside hand, ride with it half-way up the horse's neck
...this will show if you're using too much inside rein.

2.  Be your own riding instructor!  Have someone video you when you're riding so later you can watch yourself, take 
mental notes and correct your position. 

3. When trying to collect your horse, imagine he or she is a spring that you have to coil up and store energy.  

4.  Think 'bounce' at the canter!

5.  Pretend your favourite drink is in between the middle of your hands and you don't want to spill it
...this will help keep your hands in the right place.

6.  If you tend to lean inward during circle work, pretend your outside buttock is filled with lead.  
This 'imagery' should help you straighten up.

7.  Look up...if your horse's neck isn't there you'll be the first to know!

8. Think of your body growing upwards and your legs growing downwards.

9.  When doing a sitting trot, think of alternating your heels stretching down...left, right, left, right.

10. Too many riders constantly focus on trying to sit up straight, which can lead to tension. RELAX!

11. Singing the original  'Oompa Loompa' song (from the first Willy Wonka movie) really helps keep your rhythm at the sitting trot!

12. Try this little exercise...shoulders UP, BACK, then DOWN.

13. Never try and sit still in the saddle...that's a moving horse beneath you!

14. Try to make your seat move with whatever your horse's back is doing.

15. Thrust your bust!

16. When you're cantering, pretend you're sitting on a $100 note and you don't want it to blow away.

17.	Think of the reins as cotton that will break if you pull too hard.

18. When going over a jump, make a focus point in front of you, like the top of a tree in the distance, 
so you don't look down. 

19. If you ever feel like your horse is about to bolt or you are losing your balance, just sit back and 
move your feet forward putting some weight on your stirrups, just like the rodeo riders do.  Try it...you'll find you feel a lot more secure!!

20. Pretend you want your heels to touch each other, this way your lower leg won't stick out too much.

21. Pretend there is a piece of string attached to your helmet to keep your back straight, and sand bags 
attached to your heels so they stay down.

22. Think to yourself,  "If I was in this same position but not on a horse, could I stay standing?"   
You need to perch between the 'wind and the water' (so to speak!)

23. Imagine a line that goes from your shoulders, to your elbows, to your hips, then to your heel.

24. Pretend the reins are two ice cream cones that you must hold carefully, so they don't crush.

25.  At the rising trot, imagine there is an egg on the saddle and you must sit down gently so you don't break it. 

26. Spread your toes, it will help keep your heels down.

27.  Don't think of the horse as a rocking chair!  When you're riding, don't sit like you do in a chair, with your legs out in 
front and knees bent.  Sit in such a way that if the horse wasn't there, you'd still be able to support your own weight when standing.

28. Imagining you have books on top of your head helps keep it up and straight.

29.  Before doing a sitting trot, take you feet out of the stirrups, pull up one leg and tuck it up for 10 seconds and let it down again.  
Do this a few times and then switch to the other leg.  This helps loosen and relax the hips. 

30 Imagine you are pigeon-toed...this stop your toes from sticking out. 


© 2006 Horsewyse Magazine.  Cartoon © Peta Taylor.